Fluid control device



F. w. TAYLOR FLUID CONTROL DEVICE Filed Feb. 6, 1963 Jan. 19, 1965 United States Patent 3,165,930 FLUD CNTRL DEVCE Frederick W. Tayior, Fairfax, Va., assignor to The Trane Company, La Crosse, Wis. Filed Feb. 6, i963, Ser. No. 256,559 Claims. (Ci. 98-39) This invention relates generally to uid controlling devices. More particularly this invention relates to air damper means for Ventilating equipment and the like wherein the damper position is varied in response to wind or draft pressures.

A first object of my invention is to provide a damper of the blow-shut type.

Another object of the invention is to provide a blowshut damper with a bypass passage. p

A further object of my invention is to provide a blowshut damper including a bypass passage with a second damper for selectively closing `said bypass passage as well as the blow-shut damper. i

Still another object of my invention is to provide a damper device having at least two damper vanesV wherein the iirst is permitted complete freedom of movement when the second is in the open position and the second operates to close the rst when the second vane is moved'to its closed position.

Another object of the invention -is to provide a damper of the aforementioned type wherein the second damper is moved to its open position in response to the energization of a fan motor for moving air through said damper device.

And still a further object of my damper device is to provide a damper utilizing at least two damper vanes wherein one damper vane upon closing engages the other to move the same to a closed position and wherein at least one of said damper vanes is provided with resilient sealing means which, in addition to providing an air seal, functions to compensate for manufacturing variations in each of the two interacting dampers.

Other objects will become apparent as this specification proceeds to describe the invention with reference to the drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic view of the invention as applied to a conventional wall air conditioner or ventilator showing the damper portion in the open position; i

FIGURE 2 is a vertical section taken on line 2 2 of FIGURE l; and

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged vertical section of the damper portion of FIGURE 1 taken just inside the damper casing illustrating the blow-shut position in full line and the completely closed position in dot-dash line.

Looking now to FIGURE l, a wall air conditioner or Ventilating unit 2 is adapted for receiving room air 4, and fresh outside air at 6 through a damper device S. The air is drawn through filter 16 to fan inlet 12 of a centrifugal fan 14 and moved through heat exchange coil 16 and exhaust louvers 1S in the unit housing 20 and hence to the conditioned room space. The fan rotor (not shown) is driven by electric motor 22 when switch 24 is closed to complete the fan motor power circuit 26 with a power source 28. Switch 24 may be thermostatically or otherwise controlled as desired.

Now referring to FIGURES 2 and 3 it will be seen that the damper device 8 is comprised of a sheet metal casing 32 including a pair of spaced parallel vertical side members 34, top member 35 and bottom member 38 extending between said side members, thus forming the sides circumscribing a generally horizontal air passageway through casing 32. Damper casing outer end wall 40 is provided with an inlet aperture 42 communicating with said passageway. Damper casing inner end wall 44 is provided ff* I I BQW@ Ice Patented Jan. 19, 1965 with an outlet aperture 46 for discharging air in said passageway to the air conditioner proper. Casing 32 also includes a partition member 48 projecting upward partially into the air passageway from casing bottom member 38 and extending between side members 34 in parallel relation to end Walls 40 and 44. Abaiiie member 5@ projects inwardly from outer'end wall 4@ downwardly from a point above inlet aperture 42. A resilient bumper 52 is mounted on the terminal portion of baiiie member Si), the function Vof which is yet to beV described.

The iirst damper assembly 3i) disposed within said passageway carries a main damper Vane 56 having ears 58 (FIGURE 2) extending laterally into generally triangular apertures et) in sidewalls 34. The ears are free to pivot as a knife edge at one cornerof triangularv apertures 69. It Will be seen that the pivotal axis of said first damper assembly bisects the damper passageway into a main air flow passage as illustrated by the flow vectors in FIGURE 1 and a bypass air iiow passage as illustrated'by the iiowV vectors of FIGURE 3. Main damper vane Se is generally VL-shape'd in cross section having along leg portion 62 and a short leg portion 64. The lower margin of the long leg portion may be bent as at 65 to give the vane additional strength and provide it with a suitable angular approach to resilient sealingV member 65 mounted on partition member 48. Attached to long leg portion 62 are brackets' for supporting a counterbalance weight which tends to pivotally bias iirst damper assembly 39 to the fully open position (as shown in FIGURE 1) abutting resilient bumper 52. VThe action of the wind or differential pressure across the damper passageway between end walls 4t) and 44 tends to pivotally bias the iirst damper assembly to a closed position as shown in FIGURE 3. It will be noted that when the first damper assembly is in this closed position, that batiie 50 is dis# posed adjacent the crook on the concave side of the L- shaped main damper vane. This arrangement has the effect of permitting the short leg portion 64 to deflect air in a reverse path before entering the bypass passage.

Disposed above said first damper assembly 3i).V and also within said iiuid passageway is a second damper assembly 72 for closing the bypass passage. VThe second damper assembly is comprised of a bypass damper vane 74 mounted for pivotal movement with support bar 78 journaled in side members 34. Rotation of the second damper assembly 72 in the counterclockwise direction (FIGURE 3) toward the closed position as shown in dot-dash line causes vane 74 to engage an engagement flange Si) on the short leg portion 64 of main damper vane 56. Further rotation of the second damper to its closed position eifects the closure of the first damper assembly 55, thus cornpletelyv closing the entire damper device. Damper vane 74 may have a lip 82 at the outward edge thereof for greater strength and sealing ability.

it should be noted that single resilient sealing member 66 will compensate for dimensional manufacturing variations in both of the damper vanes.

The second damper assembly is selectively actuated to its respective positions by a two positionV motor 84 via motor crank 86, connecting link 88 and damper support bar crank 9). The two position motor 84 may be connected to the fan motor power circuit 26 in parallel with fan motor 22 as by leads 92 (FIGURE 1). Energization of fan motor 22 also causes motor 84 to move second damper assembly 72 to the open position, thus, permitting first damper assembly 3i) to swing to the open position under the bias of the counterbalance weight 7 0. De-energization of the fan motor 22, as by the opening of switch 24, causes motor 84 to move the second damper assembly to the closed position, thus, closing the iirst damper assembly.

It will thus be seen that my invention provides a novel and improved damper device adaptable for use with air conditioning and ventilating equipment to lprotect such equipment with a complete fresh air shut off when not in Operation, and further provides protection against high wind drafts without the danger of; complete fresh air shutoff While such equipment is in operation.

Although l have described in ldetail the preferred embodiment of myv invention, I contemplate that many changes may be made Vwithout; Vdeparting from the scope or spirit of the invention and I desire to be limited only by the claims. Y

I claim: Y 1. A iiuid How control device comprisingthe combination of: a first iiuid passage; a second iiuid passage; a fiuid passageway in iiuid communication with said firstand second fluid passages; a iirstdamper means for adjustably restricting and closing said first fiuid passage; a second dampermeans for closing said second fluid passage; Y

means for biasing said first damper means toward an open position; means for biasing said first damper means toward a closed position in response to a fiuid pressure differential across said first fluid passage between a zone upstream and a zone downstream of said first'damper'means; means for selectively actuating said second dampermeans to a closed-position; means for closing Ysaid first damper means in response to the closure of said second damper means when said first mentionedmeans for biasing said first damper means dominatesV said second mentioned means for biasing said first damper means; and means providing relative` movement of said several damper, means when said second damper means is in a substantially open position. Y Y

2. A Ventilating device for supplying outside air to an enclosure comprising: a fanfor moving outside air to said enclosure, an electric motor for driving said fan; means for energizing said electric motor; an air passageway for providing fiuid communication between the inlet of said fan and an outside source of air; means bisecting said air passageway into a first andrsecondrair passage; a first damper means for adjustably restricting and closing said ment about an axis extending between said side members adjacent said second means; said second damper assembly arranged to close said bypass tiuid passage and simultaneously engage a portion of said first mentioned damper assembly for moving said first mentioned damper vane to a position closing said main fluid passage thereby substantially ciosingsaid fluid passageway; means for permitting relative movement between said damper vanes when said second mentioned damper vane is in a substantially open position; and means other than the iiuid pressure differential across said passageway for actuating said second mentioned damper vane to its closed position.

4. A fluid flow control device comprising: a casingdefining a fiuid passageway therethrough; said casingrincluding first and second side members in spaced relationship defining first and second sides of said uid passageway; first means extending between said members forming a third side of said passageway; and a second means remote from said first means extending between said `side members forming a fourth side of said passageway; a first damper assembly having a main damper vane extending between said first and second side members and mounted for pivotal movement about an'axis extending between i said side members bisecting said iiuid passageway into a main fiuid passage and a bypass fluid passage; said main damper vane being generally L-shaped in cross section and when disposed in the closed position, the longer leg thereof extending across said main fiuidpassage in sealing engagement with said first means and the shorter leg thereof protruding partiallyv into said bypass passagefor i deliecting bypass Yfluid into an extended path; said shorter leg further including an engagement flange at -the end remote from said longer leg;ay second damper assembly Y having a bypass damper vane extending between said first and second sidermembers; said bypass damper vane being pivotally mounted about an axis adjacent said Vsecond ,Y means for swinging movement in said bypass passage first air passage; a'second damper means for closing said second air passage; means for Vbiasringrsaid first damper means toward an open position; means for biasing said firstdamper means toward a closed positionl in response to a uid pressure differential across said first air passage; means for actuating said second damper means to Vthe open position when said electric motor is energized and to the closed position when said motor is not energized; means for closing said first damper means in response to the closure of said second damper means; and means for Vpermitting relative movement of said several damper means when said second damper means is in a substantially open position.

3. A fiuid flow control device comprising:` a casing delining a fluid passageway therethrough; said casing including first and second side members in spaced relationship defining first and second sides of said fluid passage-` way, first means extending between said side members and engagement with said engagement flange of said main damper vane; said bypass damperA vane whenpivoted to` its open position being in nonengaging relation with said main damper vane irrespective of its position; and a bafiie means mounted adjacent the crook on the concaverside ofl said L-shaped main damper vane for directing bypass fluid against the short leg of said main damper. v

V5. A fluid-flow control device comprising the combination of means forming a fiuid passageway; a first damper assembly having a first damper vane in said passageway mounted for pivotal movement aboutankaxis bisecting said fluid passageway into a main fiuid passage anda bypass duid passage; Ymeans responsive to the pressure diiferential between a zone upstream and a zone downstream of said first damper vane for adjustably positioning said rst damper vane about said axis; a second damper assembly having a second damper vane in said bypasspas sage mounted forA pivotal movement about an axis spaced from and extending generally parallelto said first mentioned axis; means for actuating said second damper vane to a closed position; means responsive to the actuation of said last mentioned means for moving said first damper vane to a closed position thereby substantially closing said upstream and a Zone downstream ofsaid damper vane; Y

a second damper assembly having a damper vane extend` ing between said side members mounted for pivotal movebetween said damper vanes when said second damper vane is in a substantially open position.

References Cited in the file of `this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS .1,091,803 Bryce Mar. 371, 1914 1,218,498 Walton Mar. 6', 1917 2,043,561V Sims Ian. 9, 1936 2,232,981 Swanson Feb. 25, 1941 2,263,980 Carlson Nov. 25, 1941 V3,095,799 Pratt July 2, 1963 

2. A VENTILLATING DEVICE FOR SUPPLYING OUTSIDE AIR TO AN ENCLOSURE COMPRISING: A FAN FOR MOVING OUTSIDE AIR TO SAID ENCLOSURE, AN ELECTRIC MOTOR FOR DRIVING SAID FAN; MEANS FOR ENERGIZING SAID ELECTRIC MOTOR; AN AIR PASSAGEWAY FOR PROVIDING FLUID COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE INLET OF SAID FAN AND AN OUTSIDE SOURCE OF AIR; MEANS BISECTING SAID AIR PASSAGEWAY INTO A FIRST AND SECOND AIR PASSAGE; A FIRST DAMPER MEANS FOR ADJUSTABLY RESTRICTING AND CLOSING SAID FIRST AIR PASSAGE; A SECOND DAMPER MEANS FOR CLOSING SAID SECOND AIR PASSAGE; MEANS FOR BIASING SAID FIRST DAMPER MEANS TOWARD AN OPEN POSITION; MEANS FOR BIASING SAID FIRST DAMPER MEANS TOWARD A CLOSED POSITION IN RESPONSE TO A FLUID PRESSURE DIFFERENTIAL ACROSS SAID FIRST AIR PASSAGE; MEANS FOR ACTUATING SAID SECOND DAMPER MEANS TO THE OPEN POSITION WHEN SAID ELECTRIC MOTOR IS ENERGIZED AND TO THE CLOSED POSITION WHEN SAID MOTOR IS NOT ENERGIZED; MEANS FOR CLOSING SAID FIRST DAMPER MEANS IN RESPONSE TO THE CLOSURE OF SAID SECOND DAMPER MEANS; AND MEANS FOR PERMITTING RELATIVE MOVEMENT OF SAID SEVERAL DAMPER MEANS WHEN SAID SECOND DAMPER MEANS IS IN A SUBSTANTIALLY OPEN POSITION. 